Arcane
by Beck2
Summary: Murder, intrigue, and a good dash of humor. How do you catch a guy whom nobody can recognize?
1. The first sighting?

Appearance  
  
Disclaimer: X-men. Not mine. Arcane is mine.   
  
The saying of this fic?  
  
"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit" as said by those incapable of its proper application and as such suffer from it a lot.   
  
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"Hey buddy!"  
  
The figure stopped but didn't turn around. His features were undistinguishable under his wide rimmed hat. The panhandler walked up to him. "Hey, buddy, you got any change?"  
  
As it was, this particular panhandler was already nervous. After all, it was the dead of night and the only person around for blocks was this guy in the trenchcoat. Black. And it went down to his ankles. It was creepy.  
  
But he needed money. And as they say, Money can't buy happiness; but it sure makes misery easier to live with.  
  
  
  
"Change?" The voice carried no question or distinction. It was simply stating a fact.  
  
"Yeah! Got any on ya?" The panhandler was immensely relieved. Guy was finally talking his lingo.  
  
"No." His hopes crashed. "Go away."  
  
"Aww, man…" He barely moved back ten feet when trenchcoat made a move, pulling out something from his pockets.  
  
All he could see was the gun. It was pointed right at him. He screamed, but it was drowned out by the gunfire. It sounded like a sonicboom. He had just wanted some change…….  
  
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Smiling grimly, he placed the gun back in his coat. The beggar was cowering, not realizing that he had shot behind him, not at him.   
  
The man he shot was most certainly dead. He had thought to creep by him while he was occupied with the panhandler. But that wasn't important anymore. All wrongdoings had been righted, at least in his eyes. And it was time to go home.  
  
"What the…..What you doing man? You insane?" The panhandler was wide-eyed at the corpse beside him. Obviously he had recovered somewhat. "You killed him!"  
  
He smiled at the panhandler. His smiles had an odd effect on people. They tended to shut-up around him.   
  
"I think he has change if you want it."  
  
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Heh. Yes, another one of my OC's. Bear with me. Is he a mass murderer? Is he a gun for hire? Or is he the long arm of the law? We may never know……….  
  
Until the next chapter.  
  
Please be true.  
  
Review. 


	2. In which they seek the panhandler!

In which they seek the Panhandler!  
  
Helloo! This is the second chapter of Arcane! This is rated PG-13 because it does talk about killing, and I like being safe.  
  
Disclaimer: Arcane Mine! X-men Not!  
  
Saying of the fic?  
  
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change ready  
  
*^*^*^^*^*  
  
Logan stormed into Xavier's office. "Might wanna look at this, Chuck."  
  
Charles Xavier, otherwise known as Professor X, glanced up from his computer. "Look at what?"  
  
Logan slapped down a newspaper. On it, the headline:  
  
Mysterious Killer! Eyewitness Remembers Nothing!  
  
"Mysterious Killer? How can eyewitnesses see nothing?"  
  
"Remember nothing Chuck. He saw the guy, but doesn't remember anything. According to the article, witness doesn't even know if it was actually a guy."  
  
"And you suspect a mutant?"  
  
"What else?"  
  
"I see. Get a team together. Take Jean with you and see if she can find anything in the witness's mind."  
  
*^*^*^^*  
  
Three hours and twenty minutes later, Scott, Jean, Jubilee, Bobby, Logan, and Hank set. out to find the Eyewitness who remembered nothing. Jean nodded to them.  
  
"Now remember, don't scare him to death-"  
  
"Cuz we kinda need him alive.."  
  
"Logan! We are here on a fact finding mission! He may be the only key we have to find the murderer, whether he's mutant or not!"  
  
"Calm down Red. Alright, spread out! We're looking for a panhandler-"  
  
Amara held up her hand. Logan glared at her. "What, princess?"  
  
"What is a panhandler?"  
  
"A panhandler," Hank stated calmly, " Is a person or persons who beg for change."  
  
"Whoa! Hobos?"  
  
"Err-sort of, Bobby." Hank scratched his head.  
  
"Are hoboes like peasants?"  
  
"Are you done now, or am I gonna have to search for this guy alone?!"   
  
"Uh, that's all right Wolverine, we're done." Scott gave them all a meaningful look. He didn't want to think about what would happen to the hobo/panhandler if Logan got a hold of him.  
  
They all split up, looking for the elusive panhandler who remembered nothing. Being a princess, Amara naturally thought of people below her as peasants. She took Bobby's words to heart and started asking everyone she saw if they were hobos.  
  
Scott, being the dutiful and smart leader he was, followed a guy he thought would be a panhandler into a building only to find that the man was a stripper in a gay bar. They were sorry to see him go.  
  
Jean wandered up to a woman in the park and asked her if she had seen any panhandlers. The lady directed her to a cooking shop in the supermarket.  
  
Hank took to the roof tops, following Logan at a distance to make sure he didn't do something Wolverine was famous for.  
  
Logan was being followed. He just knew it.   
  
Bobby had done the quasi-smart thing and went to the police station to ask for a list of panhandlers. However, they suspected him of trying to pull some gang-related mischief and introduced him to Mr. Perreli, his cellmate.  
  
*^*^*^*^  
  
The room was Spartan. He had little time for play.   
  
Across the wall were rows of pictures. Pictures of people. A sort of list.  
  
Arcane was his name. A mutant? Yes.   
  
The shadows played across the room. The room only had two pieces of furniture. A desk and a chair.   
  
He plucked something from the desk. He strode across the bare floor to his 'list'.   
  
"One down. They know now that I'm not joking. I certainly hope they understand."   
  
And with that, he drew a red X through the picture of the man he had just killed.  
  
*^*^*^*^  
  
Ooh.... Arcane isn't playing nice.  
  
No meeting between Arcane and the X-men yet! Maybe chapter after next.  
  
Tune in next time:  
  
The X-men (after posting Bobby's bail) meet the elusive panhandler!  
  
Arcane still doesn't play nice.  
  
Please review! Even if I get loads of flames for this, I'll probably keep posting for my own health. 


	3. In which they find the panhandler and al...

 Bwahahahahaha!  I haven't updated in a while.  I must say sorry to the three reviewers.

Sorry.

Any who, here is the third chapter!

IN WHICH THEY FIND THE PANHANDLER!

NOTE: Danny and Doggy are not in this story.  It is pre-Danny/Doggy.  But No Worries!  I intend to have them both in a near-future story.

Asylin:  Thank you so much!  I love compliments!

*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^

After the fruitless searching the X-men reassembled near the jet, sans Bobby and with Logan apologizing to Hank.

"I'm sorry, but you KNOW I don't like people following me."

"I'll try to keep that in mind."

"Ummm….."  Scott looked around.  "Where's Bobby?"

Amara grinned.  "Knowing him, he's probably in jail."

"Err…actually…."  Jean looked around sheepishly.

Logan growled.  "You're kidding?!"

"I'm afraid not.  I've located him in the city jail."

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Bobby's bail was, to say the least, expensive.  To say the most, posting it had to have been the most embarrassing moment of Scott's life.

"This better not come up in dinner conversation. Or any conversation.  Do you got that, Bobby?"

"Yes, Scott."  Bobby had that all too innocent look on his face.

They swiftly rejoined the rest of the X-men.  Logan nodded to them.

"So what do you got, Bobby?"

"Jack and Spit, sir."

"What?"

"Jack and spit.  But Jack left town."

"Cut the crap, Popsicle."

"Okay."

Logan was about to take a round out of Iceman when Jean conveniently broke in.

"I have something."

Silence reigned as they all stared at her.  Bobby finally said, "Well?"

"There is a mind with a blurry spot in it, as if he can't remember something, but it only pertains to a person."

Again they stared at her.

"Wow."  Amara whistled.  "Your powers are so strong! Can you pinpoint him from here?"

"Yes.  Absolutely."

She began to tap her foot impatiently.  "Well?  Where is he?!"

"On that street corner."  She pointed to a guy in dirty clothes sitting not thirty feet away on a street corner.

Amara studied him. "So THAT'S a hobo…."

"Told ya."  Bobby grinned.

"All of that searching," Hank shook his head mournfully.

"What are we waiting for, X-men? Let's go!"  Scott immediately ran up to the panhandler.  The others walked up.  They didn't want it to look like he was in their group.

The panhandler looked up at them.  "Yeah? Waddaya want?"

Jean took the lead.  "We've come to talk about the man you saw, the man who killed the guy in the alleyway.

"I don't remember nothin'."

"Anything."  Beast was a stickler for proper grammar.

Jean shot him a warning look. "We know you don't remember anything.  But I can help."

She placed her hands on the man's head.  Scott winced when she touched his dirty head.

After a minute, she took her hands away.  

"The power is very strong.  Whoever did this has great control."

"Did you manage to get anything?"  Logan was slightly hopeful.

"Yes.  A man in a black trench coat and hat.  And a gun.  A special type."

Logan's hope fell.  "Anything we can use Red?"

"Nothing….except that the man who died had several business associates."

"How did he know?"  Hank asked quizzically.

"It was in the papers.  We should probably talk to them."

"Lead on."

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Arcane flipped lazily through the papers.  He had only glanced at the front page.  The panhandler didn't even get his fifteen minutes of fame.  It was really too bad.  His roving eyes stopped a bit to read the comics before he put the paper down.

Today was another day.  Today, they all had a choice.  Let him hunt them down or stay and face him with dignity.  It made no difference.

Arcane checked around the room one last time before he left.  He didn't want anyone to see any piece of him left.  Even the pictures were gone.  The desk was empty.  The chair didn't look as if it had been moved for months.

Satisfied, he left for the hunt.

*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*

_"What do you mean, dead?"_

_"You were too late.  They killed her."_

_"Why?  She was just a girl!  Why was she a threat? She didn't even know anything!"_

_"She shoulda thought about that before she joined them."_

Wham!  He punched the stool pigeon* across the face.  The man lay there, nursing his broken nose.

_"Don't dishonor the dead.  You'll need a good record.  Now why was she killed?"_

_"She knew too much.  And now she's dead.  You can't do nothing now."_

_"But you're wrong.  I can do plenty…"_

_BLAMMM!!!!!!!!!_

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^^*^*^*^*^**^*^*

"Yes."  The elderly man turned to them.  "It was unfortunate.  And I fear I may know who did it."

Jean nodded helpfully**.  "We would be happy to help you track down this person.  How do you know who it is?"

"A man wearing a long black trench coat came here several weeks ago.  He and my associate," he caught his breath a little upon mentioning his deceased friend, " had a discussion that left them both very upset."

"Did he, your associate, say what it was about?"

"No."  He sat down heavily in a chair behind a desk that bore the nameplate 'Mr. Jackson, CEO'.  

He looked up at her.  "You and your friends appear to be quite, ahh…."

"Muscular?"

"Yes.  Are you a security firm?"

"Actually sir, we're mutants."

He sat back on his chair, chewing this bit of information.

"I don't suppose you can be hired to be bodyguards."

"Has this man in the trench coat threatened you?"

"Not directly.  But I fear that he may come after myself and some of the others, and it would please them to know that I have bodyguards posted, not to mention it would set some of them at ease.

"I'll talk to the others."  Jean left the room without waiting for his response.

The other X-men stood outside in the hall.  Logan saw her first.

"So what's going on, Red?"

"The CEO thinks the man may come back and wants to hire us as bodyguards for some of the other staff."

"Sounds great!"  Bobby piped up.

Logan shook his head.  "I don't know…"

" We just can't leave them unprotected."  Scott pointed out.

Logan nodded (albeit a little grudgingly).

Jean turned and led them back into Jackson's office.  She stood in front of his desk.

"We accept your proposal."     

*^^*^*^*^*^**^^**^^**^*^*^^**^*^

Alliances forged!

Stay tuned for: 

Arcane's hunt:  The swift death of Mr. Carnel.

It's a meeting between Arcane and the X-men!  Don't miss it!

* A stool pigeon is a sort of snitch.

** How do people nod helpfully?!

Reviews are good for Arcane 

And Doggy too,

So leave a review

And we'll recognize you!


	4. Arcane's hunt: the swift death of Mr Car...

Arcane's hunt: The swift death of Mr. Carnel.

Greetings everyone.  I changed the genres around in the hopes I'd get more reviewers.  Hope it works!

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"This is Mr. Carnel."  Mr. Jackson introduced the young man by his side.

Mr. Carnel was a tall, handsome man.  He had well-groomed hair and wore a snappy-looking tweed suit. 

"Hello Mr. Carnel.  My name is Jean, and this is Hank, Logan, Bobby, Amara, and Scott."  She gestured to each in turn.

Mr. Carnel gave them all a thousand watt grin, specially formatted for getting on the good side of people.

Mr. Jackson nodded easily.  "The other people will be coming in tomorrow.  You will meet them at the airport, but as of right now, he is the only one here.  I will go to the meeting now."

"Do you need us to escort you?"  Jean glanced at Mr. Carnel again.  He was just too good to be true.

Mr. Jackson shook his head.  "The meeting is in this building.  I'll have the security 

guard staff escort me."

He left the room, pausing only to say goodbye to Mr. Carnel.

Logan glared out the large bay window.  Mr. Carnel had a corner office with a city view.

It was unsettling.  According to Jean, they might not even know the guy until he does something.

"So what do you do, Mr. Carnel?"  Bobby was starting up a conversation.

"I find business partners, people who want to share in the family of this company and-"

It sounded like a recording.    He went on with that speel for about twenty minutes.

Bobby was wishing he hadn't asked.  He had preferred the silence.  _Geez, this guy is boring.  Reminds me of Scott…_

_Bobby!_  Jean glared at him.  He grinned sheepishly.

Scott couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.  Everything was too normal.  Too safe.  _Too quiet,_ he grinned to himself.

Hank stood next to the window by Logan.  "Do you think our friend will come out today?"

"Not if he knows what's good for him."

Amara began playing with her fireballs.  Mr. Carnal began to lose integrity for his grin.

"Would you stop that?"

"Stop what?"

"That."  He pointed to her hand, where there was a very conspicuous fireball.

"Oh this?"   She let it wash over her hand before it disappeared.

"Yes.  Thank you." His grin came back full strength.  Logan glared at the back of his head.

"Red, why don't you and the princess go get something for us to drink?" 

Amara was a little angry about being told to do servant work, but followed Jean anyway

.

*^*^*^**^*^*^^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^**^*^*^*^*

It was a long way down.  At least twenty stories.  

But it was perfect for what he was doing.

Arcane smiled grimly as he raised the gun to eye level.  He sighted along it to his target.  It was a tough shot.  Between two people into the target.   But he was no amateur.

"Prepare for the disadvantages of bay windows," he whispered into the wind.

He squeezed the trigger.

*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^^**^*^*^

_"What's so important about her?"_

_"Parents asked me to find her."_

_"What, you're doin charity work now?  That's so unlike you, A.C."_

_"Not charity.  I'm getting paid."_

_"How much?"_

_"None of your business."_

_"Gee, thanks."_

_"Do you know where she is or not?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Give me the name."_

*^*^*^**^*^*^^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^

There was no sound except the light crack of glass before Mr. Carnel slumped into his chair.  It took Logan a half-second to realize what happened before he tore out into the hall.

"Red!  Princess!  He's out there!  Go!"

Amara dropped the coffees she'd been holding and bolted towards the window, with Jean in hot pursuit.  They both leaped out of the window towards the rooftops.  Well, floated.  It would be a pretty quick ending for Amara if Jean let her fall.

Logan and the other took the elevator down.  No one wanted to watch the dead guy.

Jean used her power to sweep the area.  If he was out there, he'd show up.  And he did.  It was just that she lost him a couple seconds after he showed up.

"Crap!"

"Red!"  Jean looked down.  Amara did too, because she was still floating as well.

"What?"

"Where is he?" 

"He went that way!  Here, take Amara, I'll catch up to him."  She let go of Amara.  She flew off, ignoring the rather colorful language Amara shot after her.

Scott watched her fly off.  "What are we waiting for?  Let's go!"

The others followed, though Bobby secretly wished Scott would fall on his face while he was running.  This time he wasn't scolded by Jean, who was too far away to hear his thoughts.

_Wanna Bet?_

Bobby decided not to think anymore.  Ever.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Arcane swept through the alleyways with ease.  Only he could have made that shot.  It was easy.

"Stop right there!"

Arcane paused and raised his head.  A girl with long red hair descended in front of him.

"Who are you?"  She glared at him.  "Why are you killing these innocent people?"

"Innocence."  She started suddenly at his voice.  Her eyes widened as he pulled out the gun.  

"Innocence is in the eye of the destroyer."

He squeezed the trigger.

*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^**^**^*^*^*^*^

  CLIFFHANGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nod, nod.  I know I'm awful.  

Tune in next time!

Arcane's escape!

Any who, please review!


	5. Arcane's Escape

I know.  Cliffhangers are awful.  But I couldn't help it.  The muses made me do it.

Doggy:  Grr…..

Dexroth: Don't blame this on us!

hnh: Don't be bitter.  I was setting it up for good times.

Dragonet:  Am I going to have to lock Herman's bedroom window at night?  Alright, I get the message, I'll see what I can do about letting Herman show up a little more.

Disclaimer:  What's mine is mine, what's X-men is Marvel's.  Don't sue.

Saying of ze fic.

It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It's called living. (Terry Pratchett)   ****

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The shot echoed through the streets.  Scott was filled with fear.

"Jean!"

He and the X-men poured every ounce of speed they had into getting to the place where the shot was fired.

He called out for her again.  "JEAN!"

He turned an alleyway to see Jean laying against a wall.

He feared the worse.

"Jean!"  Scott knelt by her side.  He cupped her face in his hands, preparing to do CPR, whatever it took to get her living again.

_WHACK!_

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Jean glared angrily at him.

"I thought you were-"

"Were what? EASY!?"

"Yes, I mean, NO!  Of course not!"

Jean shoved Scott backwards.  "Men."

"Alright you two," Logan glared at them, "Enough with the lover's quarrel.  Red, what 

happened?

"I met our gunslinger."  She shook her head.  "He made it very clear that he didn't care if we were protecting them."

"How's that?" 

"He said something like, 'innocence is in the eye of the destroyer', or something.  He 

may have some sort of god complex."

There was a distinct coughing sound that, oddly enough, sounded like the word 'scott' 

from Bobby's section.

Oddly enough, Scott began to glare at him.

"Alright, Red, what did he look like?  And why didn't you keep up with him?"

"He shot me.  Or rather almost.  I think he was warning me."

"How so?"

"I think he was showing me how easily he could have killed me, but that he was going to give me the chance to back off."

"Why didn't you stop him or follow him?!"

"Now Logan, she-"

"Stay out of it Scott!"

Amara leaned towards Bobby.  "Think Miss Perfection is having PMS?"

"Probably…."

"WHAT WAS THAT?"  Jean glared at them.

Both of them pasted innocent looks on their faces.  Jean gave them both a dirty look.

"Whatever he did, he knocked me out somehow.  It was probably from his gun.  Some sort of aftershock from the bullet.

"Can't you still track him Logan?"

"Depends.  What does he look like?"

They all looked at Jean expectantly.

"What?  I don't know what he looks like!"

"He just SHOT AT YOU!!!!"

"That doesn't mean I know what he looks like Bobby."

"….."

"It should, shouldn't it?"

"Um….Yeah."

Jean shook her head slowly.  Now she was more confused than ever.

"I don't know what he looks like.  I looked him straight in the eye and I don't remember.

There was silence from all of them as they mulled over this information.  Bobby whistled.

"That's some mutant power.  Do you know what you could do if no one remembers what you look like?"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^**^*^*^*^^

Careless. 

He should have allowed for the fact of other mutants.  It was careless of him to think that the CEO wouldn't do his best to keep their secret little operations safe.  

No matter.  It just convinced him to do his worst.

Right now, the most pressing thing on his mind was food.  Getting chased by evil flying redhead pychics managed to make him very hungry.  Who knew?

He sat down in a small café and ordered the special.  

As soon as it came and an edge of hunger was rounded off, his mind went back to the matter of the mutant bodyguards.

They had gotten their warning.  If they chose to proceed, it was their problem.

*^*^*^*^**^*^*

_"Couldn't find a sweeter kid.  Hope she's okay."_

_"She's dead."_

_"That's awful."_

_"Do you know what she was doing with Mr. Jackson?"_

_"They say love is blind."_

_"She was having an affair.  Isn't he married?"_

_"Yeah.  She didn't know she was just his flavor of the week.  Poor kid."_

_"I see.  How many affairs has he had?"_

_"How many leaves hangin' off the trees?  Why do you want to know?"_

_"I want to know why she was killed, so I can tell Jackson I know."_

_"Wouldn't that be a bad idea if he killed her?"_

_"Not for me."_

_"And who are you?"_

_"Arcane."_

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*

The X-men passed wearily by a café as they went back to break the news to Mr. Jackson.

Jean found herself glancing at one of the patrons.  He looked familiar, but he didn't seem to do anything but give her a vague feeling of déjà vu.  

Believing it was nothing she turned away.

*^**^^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^

That's it!  Fifth chapter is done.

Oh, and if you're wondering about the paragraphs in italics, they're past conversations that Arcy has.  I use them to shed a little light on the present state of mind of my elusive character.

Please review

And be true

Cause if you do,

I'll recognize you!


	6. False Accusations

Nod, nod.  I'm up to nine reviews!

hnh:  I try not to bash, nut it just sort of happens.

Asteria: Wait no longer.

Dragonet:  ……Herman now has an armed guard.

Disclaimer: Arcane mine.  X-men not.

*^*^*^*^^*^**^*^*^^**^*^*^

"I don't understand.  What happened?"

Jean and the others stood in front of the very grave Mr. Jackson.

"We don't know.  The shot he made," Jean shook her head, "was impossible.  He was a half-mile away with a revolver."

"And yet it happened."  Mr. Jackson shook his head.  "How can I hope to stop someone like that?"

"You're other people are coming in today by plane, correct?" 

"Yes, Mr. McCoy.  What is it?"

"It seems prudent that we meet and protect them at the airport."

Mr. Jackson mulled it over.  "Yes, that would be prudent.  Very well.  We'll go in the company cars. They'll be here in several hours."

*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^

Several cars moved away from the building.  Company cars.  It had the logo 'Jackson enterprises' on them.  

Jackson and his new bodyguards were in them.  There was only one place they could be going.

The old sierra gurgled to life as Arcane turned the key.  

There was more than one way to reach the airport.  Really, he didn't know why he was following them.  Maybe it was a sort of nagging in his mind, a mental warning.  

It made him uneasy.

*^*^*^*^^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The airport was large, immaculate, and full of people staring at them.  But being the fact that they were mutants, this was not surprising.

Bobby grinned at Amara. "Bet you get this all the time at home."

Amara glared at him furiously.  "What are you insinuating?"

Hank shook his head at the two and turned to Logan.

"Do you sense anything?"

"Nothin'.  But considering our opponent, that might be the norm, so keep an eye out."

Jean listened intently to Mr. Jackson as he told her about the company and what the people that were coming in did.  No doubt it was incredibly interesting.

"There!" Mr. Jackson threw out a hand to point at some people riding a car over to the gate outside.  From the window, they were clearly visable.

"Move out. He may already be here."  Scott looked around, as if expecting the enemy to jump out and swat him.

They set out for the gate to wait for their charges to get there.

But they never made it.

About three hundred feet from the gate, the engine sputtered and coughed.  When the driver pressed his pedal to the floor, the car blew up.

*^**^*^**^*^**^*^*^*

That was very unexpected.  Arcane pushed his hat off to get a better look at the ground and the plumes of smoke arising from the wreckage.  The mutant bodyguards tried to help, but he could see that it was no use.  The passengers were dead from the first of the explosion.

Fire sirens were wailing all over the airport.  People were ushered out by security guards.  No one came to usher him.  They either looked past him, or right through him (in a manner of speaking).

He didn't mind.  In fact he was gazing more intently at Mr. Jackson.

Mr. Jackson hadn't moved.  He hadn't tried to help.  Hadn't even run away from the explosion.  His face held no surprise, nor any fear.  Not even remorse.

A red beam of light shattered the window beside him.  They had spotted him.

_'You sly fox.  Now you can blame it on me.'_

Haste and his gift were on his side as he made his escape.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^**^^*^*^*^*^

(this part is supposed to be in italics…..)

"Don't trust everything you hear.  Jackson Enterprises?  It ain't the Apple Pie Insitute everybody says it is."

"How so?

"People that mess with that corp have accidents."

"Accidents?"

"Yeah.  And they don't recover."

"What's going on over there?"

"It's always the money."

"Money."

"Yeah, you know, the green stuff?  Anyway, I heard a kid got offed because she was digging."

"Digging causes accidents."

"You catch on quick."

"So I've been told."

"You're gonna have an accident."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  Your type always does."

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^^**^^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Alright!  Finished with another chapter!

Tune in next time:  Arcane makes a home visit!


	7. Home visits

Disclaimer: Arcane is mine! Grrr….But X-men is not.

Abigail Marie:  Cool!  Thanks a bunch.

hnh:  Don't you just hate it when plots thicken?

Dragonet: Tsk, tsk.  

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"This is indeed a sad day."  Mr. Jackson stood in the living room of his home.  It was large, perfect, and looked as if no one had ever used it.  No kids ran through it.  No family reunions were held there.  It was as empty as the rest of the house.

"I'm sorry we couldn't do more."  Jean looked sad. After all, with all of her psychic ability, she could not detect the bomb.

But as sad as she was, she could not help but think that Mr. Jackson knew more than what was being said.

"I can trust you all to guard me tonight, yes?" Mr. Jackson fixed them all with a hard glare.

"We'll do what we can bub.  But just remember you hired us." Logan growled.

"Indeed."  Mr. Jackson turned to go to his bedroom.  "I am going to sleep."

The mutants swiftly divided up the shifts and set about to patrol the house.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^^*^*^*^**^

It was too dangerous to make a move tonight.  The bodyguards were getting restless.  They knew there was something more to this, and it made them nervous.

Arcane leaned against the brick wall.  He was standing in a blind spot, away from prying eyes.  The shadows effectively covered him, and with his mutant power, if anyone did happen to pick him out, they would just think it was a figment of their imagination.

It was time to go.  The mutants were making their rounds and the big burly one could probably smell him.  A bizarre mutation, that.

He disappeared back into the shadows.

*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^^^**^*^*^*^*^*^*

Logan twitched agitatedly.  It didn't smell right.  

It was several days after the incident at the airport and the mysterious killer had made no appearance.  There were plenty of chances, yet he didn't take them.  Was he afraid? Was he too cowardly to face the Wolverine?

That last thought was accented by a snarl as Logan stomped out of the living room.  He shoved past Bobby, who was showing off to Amara.  They both shot looks at him but he didn't care.

He stepped out of the house, away from everybody.  He sniffed the wind, smelling nothing out of the ordinary.

"Truly a claim to fame."

Snarling, Logan whirled around to see…

No one.  Nobody was there.

"Try looking up.  Or is the nose the only thing you have to you?"

Logan's head snapped up.  There, sitting on the edge of the roof, sat the murderer himself.  He could not see the face of the man, because the wide brimmed hat obscured most of it from sight. However, under the hat he could see whisps of copperish hair.  The way he moved identified him as a younger man.

"What are you doing here?" Logan's claws came out.

"You do have more to your name. Do you really have to ask that question?"

"You ain't going any farther, bub."

"So you say.  I killed Carnel from a farther distance than this."

"And you used a bomb to take out those other pencil-pushers."

"Sorry.  I only use bombs for material purposes."

"What?!"

"That little fiasco at the airport wasn't my doing."

Logan glared at him.  "Why should I believe you?"

The man on the roof smiled slightly. "You shouldn't.  But doesn't it bother you that you know almost nothing about your employer?"

"I know your trying to kill him."

"You do know that."

"Who the hell are you?"  Logan crouched down.  He was going to leap up onto the roof to wipe the smirk off that insolent rat's face.

"Anyone who knows me calls me Arcane.  And you are Wolverine.  Your friends are Beast, Cyclops, Magma, Iceman, and Jean Gray.  You work for the Xavier Institute."

Logan leapt for him.  Arcane saw it coming and ducked under his assault.

"How do you know about us?!"

Arcane ducked another one of the Canadian's leaps.  "Usually I try to do a little homework on my adversaries."

Logan managed to recover from his leap and turned to tackle him.  Arcane pulled his gun out and fired a shot near Logan's head, momentarily deafening him.

As Logan tried to shake the ringing from his ears he saw Arcane moving fast to get away.  He gave swift pursuit.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm not a fan of chopped meat.  Especially not my own."

Arcane took the wall with the skill of a gymnast and disappeared over the side.  Logan followed.

He was gone.  The scent lingered, but it was tangled everywhere, there was no way for him to determine where his quarry went.  

Growling angrily, he set off to go around the complex, to try to find the elusive Arcane.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^^**^

Oww…

He may have climbed like a gymnast, but he fell like a stone.  Then he tripped and fell into a ditch.

Again, his gift was on his side.  Or it wasn't, because when the Canadian vaulted the wall, he landed right on Arcane's back.  But because of  the wonderful nature of his mutantdom, Wolverine did not look under his feet.  He breathed a sigh of relief when Wolverine ran off.  Judgeing by all that he had heard about that one, he didn't want to get caught by him.  Rumor had it tangling with him ended careers.

He might not have been afraid of tangling with the Wolverine, but he wasn't stupid, either.

Arcane got up and limped off.  The ditch had been slightly muddy, so the front part of his shirt was covered.  And being the only article of clothing he wore that was not black, it was destined to be covered in something.

But the mission was indeed a success.  He had sown the seeds of discontent.  Or just fell into a ditch for no reason.   

One of the girls, Magma, suddenly popped out from behind a tree.  Arcane froze instantly.  Of course, it really wouldn't help much.  He was a guy over six feet tall wandering around in blazing hot weather with a black trench coat and fedora* with mud splattered down his front.

Yeah, he wasn't noticeable.

But as it turned out, either his mutation was working overtime or the girl wasn't the noticing kind, because she looked right at him, and then walked off, shrugging.

Either that or she was used to seeing that sort of thing.

Arcane hurried away as fast as his legs and aching back would take him.

**^*^*^*^*^**^*^^*^*^**^^**^*^*^^*^*^*^

_"My god, they've killed my baby!"_

_"What can we do?"_

_"You can't do anything."_

_"But you can."_

_"Yes."_

_"You take revenge on those monsters!"_

_"We will pay you anything you want."_

_"Of course.  It will be dealt with."_

_"How much do you want?"_

_"How much would you say it's worth to ask someone to kill the people who killed your daughter?"_

_"Alright.  I understand.  Thank you for doing this for us."_

_"Save your thanks until after the job is done."_

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**

Alright!  I'm thinking this bad boy will wrap up in a couple of chapters!

Then my good Arcane shall wander into the pages of Twisted Alliances!

*- A fedora is a wide brimmed hat.

Woohooo!

For recognition please review!


	8. Truth and Murder

Disclaimer: Arcane is mine, X-men is not. SING ALONG! I know you guys know the words.  
  
hnh: Darn. All I have is Internet based ginger snaps. *Eats one* Yummy!  
  
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"But he was right, in a way." Jean lightly tapped her hand on the table. Logan, Scott, and Hank were with her. Bobby and Amara were watching Mr. Jackson in another room. "We know almost nothing about him. And if he didn't do the airport bombing, who did?"  
  
"This may just be a ploy to get us suspicious." Hank offered.  
  
"No."  
  
They turned to look at Logan. "I don't think he works that way. He's too cocky. He doesn't care about us, he only cares about Jackson."  
  
"Then why tell us?" Jean wondered aloud.  
  
"He doesn't want to kill more than he has too? Perhaps there is an underlying meaning here."  
  
In the back ground there was a light scuff and they all turned to see a maid. She only came every few days.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" Scott gave her his best smile. She looked around nervously.  
  
"I may be able to help you."  
  
^*^*^*^*^**^*^^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The night was cool and the wind lightly blew around him. It made his coat billow, giving an evil looking aura.  
  
Arcane watched the house. He could not afford to wait any longer. One way or another, someone was going to die tonight.  
  
*^*^^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"A woman?"  
  
The maid nodded at Jean. "Yes. The woman was having an affair with Mr. Jackson. She knew something.Mr. Jackson has some illegitimate business."  
  
"You think Mr. Jackson may have killed her for it?"  
  
"When the stakes are high, no one's life is sacred. He probably killed the people at the airport too."  
  
"Why are you telling us this?"  
  
"Because the man in the trench coat is the only one who can stop Mr. Jackson, and if you stop him, he'll keep going."  
  
"Why don't you go to the police?"  
  
"The police stopped prosecuting people like him long ago."  
  
"We can't just let Arcane kill him!"  
  
"Why not? The world will be better off. I'll even tell the police you tried."  
  
"That's not how it works!"  
  
Jean glared at the maid loathingly. The maid returned her gaze steadily.  
  
"Yeah, but it gives the desired results."  
  
*^*^*^*^^*^*^^*^**^^**^^**^^*^*  
  
Arcane slipped through the halls. He stopped suddenly at the voices of the redhead and some other woman.  
  
"What kind of illegitimate enterprises?"  
  
"A sort of estate inflation scam. A person will buy some land, get some agents to lie about the value so they withdraw a larger loan. They then sell the land to another one of their agents, and it keeps going until the money has been sapped out and the bank is left with a worthless piece of land."  
  
"They were all killed over land?" That was an interesting concept. Arcane kept his thoughts quiet. No sense alerting them he was here.  
  
"Not land. Money. Mr. Jackson has over a billion dollars on this deal."  
  
A gruff voice this time. Probably his good friend, the Canadian.  
  
"A lot of money. Enough to kill people over."  
  
"So what do we do now?" Red head. She sounded worried. Time to go. Somebody's death was waiting.  
  
^*^*^*^**^*^^**^*^*^*^***^^^  
  
Yeah, I know. Incredibly short this time. But I wanted to leave off the next Death as a wrap-up. That's right, Arcane finishes next chappy.  
  
Now I won't have any qualms about letting him show-up in Twisted Alliances.  
  
Any who, please review. 


	9. Endgame

hnh:  Don't beat up the voice of reason!  Who else can you beat up for saying 'I told you so?'   Hunn…that's a little redundant, neh?  Oh well. Would you like to borrow my Internet based ginger snaps?  I mean, if you turn em the right way, they turn into mini-discus.

Disclaimer:  Molly Hatchet owns 'Flirting With Disaster', Marvel owns the X-men, and I own Arcane.  

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Bobby pitched forward suddenly into Amara.

"Wha- BOBBY!"

Her eyes suddenly widened when she saw the figure behind him.  The man swept his arm pushing both of them back.  He shut the door fast, locking it behind him.   She opened her mouth to scream.

*^^*^**^*^^*^*^*^

"AIIEEE-!"

The scream cut off quickly.  Jean sent out her thoughts.  

"He's here!"

"What about the icicle and princess?"  Logan shot out his claws and pushed the maid aside.

"I don't think they've been hurt bad.  They've been put out of action though."

"Let's get him!"  Logan charged the door, trailing Scott and Hank.  Jean brought up the rear.

*^^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^^*^**^*^^**^^**^^^

Arcane watched the man.  Jackson was sneering at him.

"You don't think you can get away, do you?"

"Yes, in fact, I do."

"Who are you?  Who sent you?"

"Indiana Jones."

"What?"

"They always ask things like that on Indiana Jones."

"Who do you think you are?  Harrison Ford?"

"Harrison Ford doesn't have the credentials I do."

"Who sent you, damnit!?"

"The parents of a person who is dead."

Behind him the door shattered from a barrage that only comes from people that use 

claws.  The Canadian came in with the Beast and Cyclops.

"You'd better back off, bub."

Arcane didn't move.  He kept his gaze on Jackson. Jackson was enraged.

"Kill him! He's threatening me!  He killed all of my associates!"

"No he didn't."

All eyes turned to the red headed bombshell that just came in.

"You killed the ones at the airport. And don't try to lie to me Mr. Jackson, because I can read your mind."

Mr. Jackson gaped like a fish.  Obviously he didn't expect this.  Arcane began to reach inside his coat.  Then there were claws in his back.

"Better not do that, bub."

"Would you kill me Wolverine?" Arcane smirked again.  "Knowing that I have been doing right?"

"It is not right to kill people." Jean Gray glared at him.

"Isn't it?"

"Of course not.  For any reason."

"I hope you hold to that idealism. As for myself, I have found that it doesn't do much good."

Jackson choose this time to bolt.  He ran out onto the patio from a sliding glass door.  A sort of scenic office, one would guess.

"He's getting away," Arcane allowed himself a slight smile as he pointed out the bloody obvious.

"Go after him," Wolverine growled at the two other men.  Jean went down to check on Magma and Iceman, whom he, Arcane, had knocked out so graciously earlier.

He did not have the time nor the patience to deal with this.

"You realize he has a lot of people on his payroll."

The Wolverine growled. "Not everybody."

"Everybody that counts."

"I doubt that."

"And I doubt that you'll forgive me.  But we can't be sure of these things."

"Wolverine!"  Damn his stray thoughts!  But it was too late anyway.  He shifted his weight and let the gun that had been trapped in his sleeve drop down.  He shot Wolverine in the leg.

The Canadian swore and dropped his claws.  Arcane brought the gun into an arc, and let a round go right next to the psychic's ear.  It was the same tactic he used when they first met.   The shockwave knocked her out.  Arcane leaped for the sliding door, with the Canadian a few inches behind.  

But he was with two good legs.  Wolverine only had one.  He spread the gap easily and set off after Mr. Jackson, leaving Wolverine far behind.

^*^**^^*^**^*^*^^**^*^*^*^*^*^

Hank and Scott had almost caught him when the gunfire had started.  Apparently Mr. Jackson had some other hired muscle.

A helicopter shot across the expansive lawn of the Jackson residence.  It had a spotlight on, which settled on Mr. Jackson.  It set down momentarily to collect him.  

"Something tells me we've been duped." Scott had to yell over the helicopter and gunfire.

"Indeed, it appears that way."  Beast ducked down as low as he could.

^*^*^*^**^^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The air was perfect, the light.  It could do with a deal less sound, but Arcane could not wish for everything.  Or rather, he could, but it didn't mean it would happen.

He raised the muzzle of his gun several inches.  His eyes, far better than any humans, saw what no human could.  Mr. Jackson sat in the plane, mentally congratulating himself on his escape.  Never realizing that the infamous Arcane had him in his sights.

He squeezed the trigger.

^*^*^*^**^*^^*^**^^**^*^*^*^*^

Wolverine ran out to see the helicopter that would most certainly hold Mr. Jackson begin to sway like a drunken duck, then crash.  The iron twisted and hissed in death throes.  No one could have survived.  It was a long shot, and only one person could have made it.

There, standing not a hundred feet away, stood Arcane.

Wolverine snarled with anger.  Not at the anger of Jackson being dead.  He had seen Red's face when she read his mind.  He probably wouldn't have been punished at all for any of it.  

But that fedora wearing creep shot him.  And nobody sucker punches the Wolverine and gets away with it.

Arcane heard him and swung around.  As a result, he only got a side hit with those claws.  But it was enough to knock him off his feet. His hat fell off. He shot his hand inside his coat and met Logan's eyes. 

It was as if some secret became very clear to him.  He now knew what Arcane looked like.  He had copperish brown hair.  He had pale green eyes. He was young, in his twenties.  And he wasn't afraid.

Logan felt his anger dissipate.  This kid did what he had to do.  Even if he did it in a fashion that caused distaste.

"Get out. Don't come back." 

Arcane got up slowly.  The claw marks in his side were deep.  He put his hat back on, and looked around.  Then he locked eyes with Wolverine once again.

"See you around." He nodded to him.  Then he turned his heel and disappeared into the smoke.

^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"And when the girl didn't come back, they called Arcane to look for her." Jean was reciting off all he had learned from the look into Arcane's and Jackson's mind. "And when he found out that she was dead, he told her family, and they wanted him to be put to justice."

"But that wasn't possible."  Scott mused.

"Right.  Anyone who could have prosecuted him was already in his pocket.  And she was killed for just knowing about the scam.  So they asked Arcane to exercise justice for them."

"Why did he take out the other guys?"  Bobby was sitting upright.  He had given the controls to Hank since he still had a raging headache.  They were headed home.

"He had to take them all out, because they were all in on it.  They were all guilty."

"And Jackson helped him out with the thing at the airport."  Logan checked  the altitude.

"Yes." Jean finished.

"Then one could say that he was not truly a bad person.  His sense of duty was great.  He carried out justice with an…extreme brand of vigilanteism. " Hank pondered over the controls.  "I wonder if we will meet again?"

"Don't know.  Maybe."  Logan said as he put the plane on auto pilot.  It had been a hard week.

**^*^^*^*^*^**^^*^**^*^*^*^*^*

_"Thank-you."_

_"You're welcome."_

_"Where will you go now?"_

_"Old West."_

_"What?"_

_"Old West movies always have that line."_

_"I suppose that means you'll go where the wind takes you." The man had a glimmer of a smile beginning._

_"I suppose it does." _

*^^^*^*^**^^*^**^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The weather was hot and dusty.  The sun shone brightly upon the road, of which there was only one inhabitant.  An old sierra with a mysterious occupant.

I'm travelin' down the road,  
I'm flirtin' with disaster.  
I've got the pedal to the floor,  
My life is running faster.  
I'm out of money, I'm out of hope,  
Looks like self-destruction.  
Well, how much more can we take,  
With all of this corruption.  
  
Been flirtin' with disaster,  
Y'all know what I mean.  
And the way we run our lives,  
It makes no sense to me.  
I don't know about yourself or  
What you want to be, yeah,  
When we gamble with our time,  
We choose our destiny.  
  
I'm travelin' down that lonesome road,  
Feels like I'm draggin' a heavy load.  
Yeah, I've tried to turn my head away,  
Feel about the same most every day.  
  
Speeding down the fast lane,  
Playin' from town to town.  
They boys and I been burnin' it up,  
Can't seem to slow it down.  
I've got the pedal to the floor,  
Our lives are runnin' faster.  
Got our sight set straight ahead,  
But ain't sure what we're after.  
  
Been flirtin' with disaster,  
Y'all damn sure know what I mean.  
You know the way we run our lives,  
It makes no sense to me.  
I don't know about yourself or  
What you want to be, yeah,  
When we gamble with our time,  
We choose our destiny.  
  
Yeah, we're travelin' down that lonesome road,  
Feels like I'm draggin' a heavy load.  
Don't try to turn my head away,  
I'm flirtin' with disaster every day.  
  
Flirtin' with disaster, baby,  
Y'all know what I mean.  
You know the way we run our lives,  
It makes no sense to me.  
I don't know about yourself or  
What you want to be, yeah,  
When we gamble with our time,  
We choose our destiny.  
  
Yeah, we're travelin' down that lonesome road,  
Feels like I'm draggin' a heavy load.  
Don't try to turn my head away,  
I'm flirtin' with disaster every day.

^*************^**^^**^*^*^**^^**^^**^

Yes.  Arcane is over.  And I just realized that my origin stories are both nine chapters long.  Odd.  OH WELL!

But never fear!  Arcane shall now appear in Twisted Alliances.  In several chapters.  Not just yet.  

Because this is the last chapter of his origin, err….starting story?  It just occurred to me that the only thing that has really happened is that I introduced him.  Not a lot about his past.  Oh well again.  Any way, Arcane himself will take the reviews!

Arcane: You'll have to pry my cold dead fingers off my sierra first.

Or I could just have you meet an awful incident and be turned into a easily swattable insect.

Arcane:…..Damn…..

I thought you'd see it my way.

Arcane: Let the record show I tried to resist.

Dexroth:  You are an inspiration to us all.

Arcane:  Are you laughing at me, muse boy?

AHEM!  As I was saying, Arcy will take the reviews.

Arcane:….Arcy?…….


End file.
